


The Grays in between

by baeconandeggs



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Mentions Of Infidelity, Romance, Slice of Life, Swearing, attempts on humor, fem!Minseok
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-22
Updated: 2018-05-22
Packaged: 2019-05-10 02:39:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14728392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baeconandeggs/pseuds/baeconandeggs
Summary: It takes one unexpected visit from Baekhyun’s grandson to make him remember how his' and Chanyeol’s relationship stood the tests of time.





	The Grays in between

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt #:** 463  
>  **Disclaimer: baeconandeggs/the mods is/are not the author/s of this story. The writer chose to remain anonymous** The celebrities' names/images are merely borrowed and do not represent who the celebrities are in real life. No offense is intended towards them, their families or friends. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this fictional work. No copyright infringement is intended.
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>  **Author's Note:** I'm not sure when will this get posted but let me first greet our Baekhyunnie a happy happy birthday!!! This one’s for you. ^.~ Secondly, thank you to my lovely betas, I, S, C, and T for their kind words and virtual hugs. Your love and support are what built this story. Know that I would have never made it without you guys. I love you to bits! ^.~ Thank you also to the mods for their tireless efforts in making this event a successful one. Writing, indeed, is a lonely job but you guys made us feel that we’re not alone in this struggle. Your gentle nudging and stream of encouragements made all the difference in our writing journey so thank you so much for believing in us. You guys are the awesomest! ^.^ Lastly, to the prompter, who managed to draw out the confidence in me— thank you so much for the ‘needed’ push. You have no idea how hard I struggled to ignore your prompt but it’s just so good that I couldn't help but claim it. ^.~ It's my first time joining a fic fest so please forgive my lame attempt on trying to bring your prompt to life. Please don't hate me. T_T I really hope that you'll still end up liking this one and thank you for sharing this idea with us. :)
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> P.S. : Also, there are bits and pieces in here that I've adopted from the articles I've read from the internet. Please know that I'm not trying to own them. It just resonated deeply in me and I wanted to share them with you. :)

 

Thursdays have always been Chanyeol and Baekhyun’s favorite day of the week all because it's the only time when they can spend the whole day together— _without any interruptions._

 

Baekhyun could still remember how enthusiastic Chanyeol had been when he came up with the idea of dedicating a specific day that none of them could get out of. With college, consuming most of their time between school works and part time jobs, they couldn’t even spare some time to plan a date or to send each other off in the morning. They were of different colleges; Baekhyun’s majoring in Architecture while Chanyeol’s taking up Pharmacy. Their class schedules always get in between their couple time, making the ever so clingy Chanyeol extremely frustrated.

So to settle the issue, Chanyeol demanded for his boyfriend’s schedule to which the latter was more than willing to comply. Baekhyun’s patience was already on the verge of exhaustion because having to deal with a grumpy giant was seriously a pain in the butt. He didn’t want to end up snapping at his tall boyfriend for he knew that he meant no harm. Chanyeol was just lonely, in dire need of attention, and he just wanted to spend more time with him. The taller had an obsession with Baekhyun’s undivided attention and he would do anything to attain it. _Immaturity be damned._

Scanning their schedules, Chanyeol meticulously eyed out which day of the week would be the not-so-busy one. He whined like a toddler in tantrums when he found out how jam packed Baekhyun’s Saturdays were. Baekhyun could still hear him complaining, _‘What the hell, Baek? I’d have to wait until 7PM to see you— What kind of torture is this?’_ which he thought was more annoying than endearing. Chanyeol’s voice almost impaired his eardrums.

Park Chanyeol’s not only a whiny giant but also has a difficulty in toning down his voice. There was no in-between in his tone, always deep and excruciatingly loud. Whenever he was pissed or feeling really excited about something— Baekhyun wouldn't even get to hear the end of it for he’d end up deaf before Chanyeol could even manage to unleash half of his musings. The tall man had never once shied away from using his megaphone voice so Baekhyun, _as much as he could,_ tried not to anger or even elate the giant up. He was sure that doing so would get them both kicked out from their apartment and being homeless wasn’t how Baekhyun had dreamt of living.

So when the giant didn’t stop stressing out the matter, Baekhyun’s nerves skyrocketed. Chanyeol’s rants were seriously draining him out. He kept on whining so loud that Baekhyun was sure the whole compound heard his silly complaints. And Baekhyun loved his solitude. He thought better when it was quiet; connected best with himself when he could hear himself breathe. That was the last straw. He had enough of Park Chanyeol’s ridiculousness so he decided that it was time to end his absurdity.

If there was one thing Baekhyun was really good at, it was pacifying his childish boyfriend. Baekhyun immediately checked their schedules and his eyes eventually zoned in on their almost empty Thursday slot. He pointed it out to his still-whining boyfriend and it instantly prompted a big smile on his lips, his face lighting up with excitement. Park Chanyeol was grinning like the madman everyone knew that he was later on showering his face with kisses as he officially declared Thursdays as their _date_ day.

The couple always made sure to block out the said day just to keep the promised routine going. Baekhyun went along with it not because he’s forced to do so but simply because he just wanted to avoid exasperating the always needy dumbo. No matter how much fun it was to see a grouchy Chanyeol, Baekhyun would never challenge his limits for his poor ears and patience could only take so much. Whether they’d settled on watching a movie, dining at some new restaurant, or even just chilling at their shared apartment, the couple would always make sure to make their Thursdays a memorable one— _with Chanyeol, coercing Baekhyun to do something that he had never done before._

There was this one time when Chanyeol asked him to wear a lingerie for the whole day and if that wasn’t demasculinizing enough, the tall idiot forced him to pair it with strappy heels. Baekhyun wasn’t one to care for his reputation but _him— wearing a sexy nightgown,_ was more than enough to get him on his knees and beg the ground to swallow him whole. But just as he was about to do so, he chanced a look at Chanyeol’s direction and his discomfort instantly vanished into air. The tent in between his boyfriend’s pants was a major turn on, a confirmation that the guy was definitely pleased at whatever he’s seeing. And the next thing he knew was that he was being pinned onto the wall with the taller's lips ravishing his exposed collarbones.

In retaliation, Baekhyun requested for an _exotic_ dance number from his lanky boyfriend and it was so hilarious that Chanyeol avoided him for a week. The boy’s face didn’t stop burning from embarrassment the entire time he was executing his dance. But that didn’t stop him from grinding his lower body in exaggeration, swaying his booty to every beat of the music. Baekhyun didn’t hesitate to stifle his laughter as he nonstop teased Chanyeol’s ears for continuously reddening. The taller’s self-confidence wasn’t able to withstand the teasing he had received.

From then on, Thursdays consisted of obnoxious tricks and comical dares as they passionately committed themselves to outshine each other’s stunts. But they had never gone beyond their limits because they believed that it would break the spell of their Thursday bondings. It was meant to be a day of fun and not being on each other’s nerves. They considered it a remarkable part of their relationship, a way to spice things up, _with them—_ going all out crazy just to savor their youth together. They enjoyed every single one of it and had always looked forward to whatever it entailed. And Baekhyun, being a romantic at heart, managed to compile those unforgettable moments through pictures. He had 2 boxes full of Polaroids as evidence of their young and dumb love.

 

**> >.<<**

 

Today’s the 3,120th Thursday in the couple’s lives and Baekhyun, _now 79 years old,_ wanted to bake his now husband, Chanyeol, a turtle pie. The man had been begging him for it since last week as compensation from all the hard work he had been doing at their farm. Chanyeol’s newly bought piece of land was a disaster and it stressed the old man to hell.

A few weeks ago, they found out that Chanyeol’s workers had been selling their produce without their knowledge. The poor elder almost had a heart attack at the revelation but he managed to calm his nerves out and handled the situation in a better way. Baekhyun had never praised the Gods so bad for blessing his husband with a strong heart.

Checking their pantry, Baekhyun found out that they had already ran out of eggs, flour, and a couple of spices and condiments he would be using for tonight’s dinner. He planned on making some mashed potatoes to complement his baked chicken with the turtle pie for Chanyeol’s sweet tooth. The moment his husband’s truck was out of sight, Baekhyun revved up his newly restored Chevy Impala and drove his way toward the nearest grocery store.

At exactly 7 in the evening, Baekhyun started preparing for his agenda, diligently sorting out the ingredients as well as the kitchenwares he’d be using. He lined up his mixing pots, egg batters, and measuring cups on top of the dining table while humming a tune that had been playing on his mind. Baekhyun settled on a no-prank Thursday since he couldn’t think of anything that wouldn’t be too much for their timeworn body. He figured Chanyeol also needed some form of relaxation and he planned on squeezing the stress out of his body. It’s been awhile since they’ve last cuddled with each other and the thought alone made Baekhyun frown. He realized that he’d been missing his husband that bad.

Just as he was about to proceed with his preparation, a persistent knock on the door halted him. The knock seemed urgent that it made him feel uneasy. _Chanyeol’s part owner of this house so why on Earth would he knock at his own door?_ Baekhyun then realized that the elder chose to prank him today and he wouldn’t fall for that trick. His husband’s really capable of doing silly things like that because he made it his life goal to spite the shit out of him. Chanyeol may be 79 years old already but his age had never stopped him from his childish acts.

He resisted the urge to open the door but he found himself anticipating what the prank was all about because Park Chanyeol had always been good with it. But he would never tell him that for it would only inflate the old man’s ego.

But then the knock continued to press on, seeming more desperate than ever. It made the old man confused and scared as he tried to calm down his now tachycardic heart. If Chanyeol’s intention was to scare him then he’s already successful at that. Baekhyun promised that he’d smack the other’s head to teach him a lesson.

Slowly walking toward the foyer, Baekhyun tried to shift his attention away from the incessant knocks, focusing himself onto the clicking sound of his wooden cane. He could still hear his wildly beating heart as he neared the front door. The elder felt the anxiety crawling through his skin. _I just need to slide the curtain a little so that I can get a look at who’s behind the door._ But the moment he’s about to do so, the person behind the door finally spoke, unexpectedly putting the old man in a trance.

 

_Hello? Is anyone there?_

Baekhyun, regardless of his old age, knew _that_ voice.

_Gramps Baek? Gramps Yeol? Are you there?_

Immediately unlatching the door chains, Baekhyun found himself dumbstruck at the sight before him.

 

There, in front of him, was his grandson, _Park Jongin,_ who looked as if his soul had been drained out from his eyes. The young man was the personification of devastation, eyes swollen— probably from crying too much, and was sporting a weary expression. Baekhyun had never seen his grandson so lifeless for Park Jongin had always been the embodiment of happiness, just like his other grandfather.

The elder eventually came out from his shocked phase and decided to break the ice between the awkward silence.

“Now where’s that grandfather of yours? How dare he surprise me with your presence? Did he seriously talk you into visiting us this Thursday night?”

The young man smiled restrictedly as the elder kept looking for someone behind his back.

“I’m alone, gramps.” Again, there was that pained look in his eyes and Baekhyun couldn’t help but notice how much emphasis the man put on the word _alone._ “Gramps Yeol had nothing to do with me, being here tonight. But—“ He paused, hesitancy now evident on his face. “Am I interrupting something? Is it your anniversary today? I-I’m s-sorry, gramps. I-I didn’t—“

“No, sweetheart. It’s not,” Baekhyun said, relief was now materializing onto the younger’s face. “It’s not our anniversary and you’re not interrupting anything. It’s just that your other grandfather likes to pull a prank on me regardless of how old we both are now.”

“I see," he said. "But I’m really not with gramps Yeol. I haven’t even heard from him for the longest time. Where is he? Is he not here with you?”

“He’s at the farm, dear. He’ll be home as soon as he’s done with his tasks but wait a minute—“ Baekhyun eyed him suspiciously, leaning closer to see more of his face. “Are you sure your other gramps isn’t behind your visit, Jongin-ah?”

The man nodded, finally appeasing the old man’s doubt. But then a mischievous smile surfaced from his lips as he said, “Then you’ll be my lovely Thursday’s surprise for him.”

 

**> >.<< **

 

"So how have you been, Jongin-ah? How's life in Seoul?”

Baekhyun went back to the kitchen to check for his garnished chicken. He wanted it edible and unburnt because chicken happened to be Jongin’s favorite. It was tough luck that he chose to cook chicken that day, instinctively picking out the biggest organic one from the poultry section. Baekhyun could only hope that the meal could somehow uplift his grandson’s mood.

“I’ve been— well, gramps. Work’s still toxic but it’s nothing I couldn’t manage.”

The younger, who still looked a bit restless, shrugged as he ambled toward the living room. “Being a nurse is just like what gramps Yeol had described, tough as hell but nevertheless worth pursuing.”

“I’m glad to hear that you’re enjoying your profession but forgive my senile dementia— you’re working at what hospital again?” Baekhyun apologetically smiled but the younger dismissed it right away, later on gracing him with a gentle smile.

“At SNU Hospital, gramps. Gramps Yeol used to work there, remember? He’s the reason why I got the job actually. He wrote a recommendation letter to vouch— more like _demanded_ the chief nurse to give me the spot. He had been very insistent about his request that no one could really say no to him—“

Jongin’s statement made the elder smile as he began to reminisce a younger version of Chanyeol, wearing his all-white duty uniform, carrying those heavy as hell college books in his arms.

Every time they would meet at their favorite coffee shop, Chanyeol would always appear breathless, cheeks flushed, and hair disheveled from running too much. The moment he stepped inside the cafe, his eyes would roam around the place, hoping against hope that his date didn’t ditch him for being late. The boy wouldn’t stop apologizing for his tardiness, blurting out cringe-worthy lines here and there just to woo his pretty boyfriend. Those were only a few of his most treasured memories and Baekhyun couldn’t help but feel nostalgic at the recollection.

“Hey! I know that—“ Baekhyun defended, his tone slightly higher than usual. “I may have forgotten quite a handful of things already but important matters like that, I _never_ forget.”

Jongin’s lips were slowly curving into a teasing smile, fueling up the insult that the elder was trying to ignore. But Baekhyun would rather not comment on anything just to avoid firing up the younger’s satisfaction.

“If you say so, gramps.”

 

“I wish you had phoned me up so that I could’ve picked you up at the air— _wait a minute,_ did you take the plane or the train?” Baekhyun’s face turned curious as he maneuvered his way toward the fridge to get some refreshments.

“I took the train, gramps, and don’t worry about not picking me up. It’s okay. It’s not something to say sorry for.”

“But still— you could’ve said something so we could’ve prepared ourselves for your coming, dear.” He insisted but the young man’s genuine smile stopped him from his self-pitying.

“Calling you up would ruin the surprise, gramps. And— this trip wasn’t really planned to begin with. I just—“ Jongin sighed audibly, allowing himself to breathe out a portion of his frustrations.

“Do you— do you want to talk about it?”

Baekhyun sat beside his grandson, placing his hand over the other’s shoulder. But the man focused his attention onto his shaky hands, trying his best to stop it from doing so.

“I—“ He started, a lone tear finally rolled out from his misty eyes. “H-He… He broke up— with me.”

 

 

_“I’m sorry, Jongin. But I really have to do this—“_

_“Do you seriously think that I’d agree with your decision when you haven’t even tried reasoning out with them, Kyungsoo? You’re an adult now, for god’s sake! How about you take fucking responsibility of your life? How about you stop letting them control you just like that, huh? How about you stop allowing them to meddle with your life?”_

_“Don’t talk about them like that! They’re my family, Jongin! I could never disappoint them. And it’s not like they’re forcing me to do this! You and I know that this is bound to happen!”_

_“So it’s either them or me now, huh? Is that it, Kyungsoo?”_

_“Y-You d-don’t understand. I c-cannot—“_

_“What couldn’t I understand? That you’re choosing to leave me rather than having the guts to fight for us? That you’re giving up on our 5 years relationship — just like that— to satisfy your family? That you’ll marry someone from the opposite gender when you couldn’t even stand the sight of them? You’re fucking g—“_

_SLAP._

_It wasn’t what Jongin had expected, much more, a furious Kyungsoo— who didn’t even seem apologetic over what he just did. The man’s nose was flaring, hatred full on display, and Jongin almost cowered over the fierce look on the other’s face. But he couldn’t, for the life of him, back down for he knew that if he gave up now, he would lose the love of his life for good._

_“I can’t believe you, Jongin! I can’t believe how fucking selfish you are! How the hell did you come up with the idea that I didn’t consider you on this when I am actually doing this for you? Do you seriously think that I’m as insensitive as that? That I’m fucking stone cold not to pay heed on how you’ll feel about this? I didn’t ask to be the only man in the family. I didn’t ask to be the one to produce heirs and fucking continue the legacy behind our name!”_

_“I-I’m sor—“_

_“Save it! I don’t want to hear your apologies! I already have lots of it myself.”_

_“Soo—“_

_“I wish you knew how much pain I’m feeling right now— That you’re not the only one who’s hurting, Jongin. You’re not the only one feeling like the whole world’s shitting on you. I-I d-didn’t want to sacrifice us but there’s too much at stake here and I—.”_

_“Then let’s run away together, Soo. We can go out of the country and start somewhere. We’re both able people. We can get employed anywhere, Soo. This is not the only solution to this. We can fight this. Let me take some of the burden on your shoulders. I’m here. You’re not alone in this.”_

_“You have no idea what my family can do. They’ll not only destroy you, Jongin, but your family too. They’ll never stop trying to hurt you and your dads and even Minnie… and I love your family— I would never forgive myself if anything happens to them. This may not be the only solution, but it’s the best. I won’t let them get hurt just because of my selfishness. If I— If I have to marry a woman then so be it.”_

_“Kyungsoo—“_

_“They all know that you’re my weakness and they’ll do whatever it takes to ruin you. We should’ve never— I should’ve done this sooner. We’re not supposed to be together.“_

_“But we are, Soo. We. Are. Together and I love you. I love you so much and I—.”_

_“Maybe I’ll regret this decision in the future, but at this moment, this is the best solution I could only think of. I’m sorry, Jongin. Please don’t make this as hard as it is already.”_

_“No. Do you hear me? I am not letting you go. I love you too much to do that, Kyungsoo. I won’t give up. I’m not giving_ **_us_ ** _up.”_

_“I already made up my mind. I’m sorry but I’m still leaving regardless. I hope that you’ll forgive me someday.”_

 

 

A loud sob escaped the younger’s mouth, his tears were now flowing relentlessly onto his cheeks. Carefully, the elder took his grandson into his arms and let him cry on his chest. Jongin tightly embraced his grandfather as if he’s an anchor keeping him afloat.

“All I ever wanted was to share my entire life with him, gramps but—“ The man once again sobbed, his desolation finally overtaking him. “…but he looked _so_ determined on breaking up with me. He said he could never go against his family’s wishes— that their opinions mattered the world to him and he couldn’t let them down because he believed that they’re the only constant in his life. It broke my heart that he didn’t trust me on this, gramps! That he didn’t believe in our love. That I’m here to stay and will fight with him no matter what happens. That I plan to be a constant part of his life and that this is just a phase, a bridge that we both have to cross. That we need to overcome this together, _not apart._ ”

Jongin took his time to expel his grief and he cried a whole lot more onto the elder’s chest. Baekhyun, on the other hand, cradled him as gently as he could. He didn’t try to stop the younger from venting out his misery; his hand continuously soothing the other’s back.

“I’ve always envied your relationship with gramps Yeol which is why I always put my best in our relationship. I longed to experience it too, gramps— that same love you guys have for each other. And I was hoping to have that with Kyungsoo.” The younger exhaled deeply, his way to calm his overwhelming emotions. “But now I’m starting to believe that love isn’t for me. How could it when the one I planned to grow old with took the easy way out at the first struggle of our relationship? That instead of fighting for us, I was the only one left here, waiting for some miracle to happen. Is it too much to ask for someone who can make me feel that I’m worth fighting for? How I wish that there’s someone in this world who can prove to me that true love does exists—“

Baekhyun saw the sadness in his grandson’s eyes. It was the first time he had seen Jongin that heartbroken. The man had always been full of life and had never been pessimistic about anything. He always had that sparkle in his eyes and it intensified even more the moment Kyungsoo came into his life.

It was three years ago when Jongin introduced the man to both Baekhyun and Chanyeol. Do Kyungsoo, the only son of one of the most influential family in South Korea, managed to successfully charm his way onto Jongin’s heart. The man was absolutely breathtaking, prim and proper, and had an air of confidence in him that people couldn't help but get drawn into.

With a multi-billion company to manage, Kyungsoo’s impressive leadership skills secured him deals after deals and it earned the Do’s the second spot on the richest people in South Korea. He is a brilliant young man for his age yet despite of the responsibilities pressed on his shoulders, Kyungsoo had never once complained about it but only persevered in his rise to glory.

Baekhyun could still remember how his grandson smiled so brightly whenever his eyes landed on Kyungsoo. Jongin was absolutely smitten; anyone could clearly see his feelings through his eyes. Baekhyun could also tell that Kyungsoo felt the same. The fondness in his smiles and the gentleness in his eyes were enough evidences of the reciprocated feelings.

The elder knew that there was also Kyungsoo’s side of the story to consider— the part that was a lot to take in for Jongin at the moment. Baekhyun supposed that his grandson’s not yet ready to listen to it because a broken heart could not only impair one’s judgment but could also make a person stubborn. Considering Jongin’s devastation, Baekhyun could only let the man be, allowing his battered heart to grieve on its own.

As much as he understood Jongin’s side, a part of him was also bleeding for Kyungsoo. Baekhyun knew that the latter was also suffering just as much as his grandson. But time could only tell when he'd be ready to face the whole situation. He could only lend his shoulder for Jongin to cry on for now.

“But it does, Jongin-ah,” he said, smiling a little just to give reassurance. “Why do you think your gramps Yeol and I are still together if it doesn’t? Aren’t we a living proof already?”

Despite the encouragement, Jongin kept his face hidden onto his grandfather’s chest, finding it comforting enough as if it was a shield protecting him from absolute destruction.

“You still have a lot to learn about love, Jongin-ah, so don’t lose hope just yet. You’re way too young to think negatively about it.” Baekhyun gently placed his hand onto the younger’s head, fondling his wild tresses with so much affection. “Everyone is worth fighting for. _Everyone,_ including you so stop it with the pity party, please. You aren’t as hard to love as you think you are. You are different, yes, but who isn’t? Aren’t we all created differently to set us apart from one another? And isn’t our uniqueness that pulls us toward the one we’re meant to be? You have to stop wishing for love to come and find you because it doesn’t work like that. You’ll have to work on it, _compromise._ ”

“If you must know—“ The elder paused, making the younger look up to him. “... your gramps Yeol and I had gone through a lot of struggles first before we got here.”

Jongin stared at the elder with confusion written on his face but his grandfather only smiled at him.

“You see, Jongin-ah, humans have the tendency to look at things only on the surface. We never really take the time to understand the reasons that make things as they are. The results are always a great form of distraction making us overlook the processes it had gone through—“ The elder smiled bitterly at his words but he carried on with his speech.

“None of us knows how much an artist struggles to find his or her inspiration, or how a musician uncovers the perfect melody to his masterpiece, or why a person does things that goes against the norms. Most of the time, jumping off to conclusion seems to be a habit we're good at. We become judgmental— It's human nature, a part of our DNA. It's not something we commit intentionally but rather an instinct that's been innate to most of us.”

Baekhyun searched the younger’s face for any reaction but the man only remained silent, taking every bit of his words to heart.

“So what about relationships? What do you think makes up a great relationship, Jongin-ah? How do you think it lasts a lifetime?”

Jongin seemed to be anticipating the answer so the elder decided to take pity on him and voice out his thoughts.

“Every strong relationship has a story we know nothing about— of how much it struggled just to make it worthwhile, of how it tore out numerous hearts and prides just to battle against the inevitable obstacles, and of how it found its reasons to stick together despite of the hardships thrown at its way.”

“Relationships aren't easy because love is a battlefield. It takes work, day in and day out. You must understand that love isn't just being happy all the time. Love can also mean pain and that pain can help us appreciate it fully.” Baekhyun smiled genuinely and Jongin felt obliged to return it.

“You have to be a willing soldier to be able to recruit someone to fight with you. You have to stand up for your relationship and do whatever it takes just to prove that nothing will ever be too much for you to handle. That despite of the numerous times you’ll get your heart broken, the will to fight for that love can never be extinguished. I guess, that’s how to make a relationship last, Jongin-ah. To never give up on the love you’ve decided to keep for the rest of your life.”

This time, there’s an evidence of adoration in the younger’s eyes as he said, “I’m really happy to be here, gramps. I knew I came to the right place.”

 

**> >.<<**

 

“So your grandfather called up—“ Baekhyun said as he began to prepare the young man’s dinner. “He said that there’s some problem at the farm that he’d have to settle first and that he wouldn’t make it for dinner.” Scooping up a cupful of mashed potatoes, Baekhyun offered it to the younger, putting an ample amount of gravy on it. “If only I could bring back that time when he asked me what I thought about that goddamn land, I would’ve told him not to buy it. It’s stressing him; it makes him worried to the core. I hate that piece of land! I’m going to convince him to sell it.”

Baekhyun often found himself wondering why on Earth did he agree to purchase the problematic land when it only brought stress to his husband. It may have kept the old man happy and satisfied but the anxiety it induced would never be worth it. No amount of money could ever suffice its unending demands. But then he remembered how persistent Chanyeol had pushed this idea on him and his heart could never say no to any of his requests. Baekhyun would never be strong enough to resist him.

Jongin watched his grandfather with amusement. The elder never failed to show his love for his beloved, his heart had always been out in the open. It somehow made the younger feel sad but he chose not to say anything. So instead of allowing bitter thoughts get to him, he forked up a piece of chicken, placed it into his mouth and savored its succulent flavor. He hummed in approval, making the elder smile at his appreciation.

“But I didn’t tell him you’re here yet.” The old man smiled impishly, adding to its playfulness was how his eyes turned into tiny crescents. “He’d get shocked as soon as he sees you.”

With both of them laughing, Jongin began to acknowledge that the gloomy feeling seemed to subside a little. He could still feel it somewhere lurking at the back of his mind but he’d rather not let it ruin the mood. He knew that it would hunt him back later when he’s alone but for now, he’d savor the calm before the storm of emotions hit him again.

“I’m not sure gramps Yeol would appreciate that. Now don’t be too hard on him, gramps. I’ve heard about your love for unleashing the inner puppy, _as Dad quoted,_ in him but that’s just plain rude to surprise him like this.”

“Oh don’t worry about that. He’ll live.” Baekhyun grinned widely. “He’ll be so delighted to see you. But try not to over excite him, okay? It’s just not good for his now delicate heart.”

“But you’re the one who’s going to over excite him, gramps.” Jongin took a spoonful of mashed potatoes, humming once again over its appetizing taste.

“I’ll suffer the consequences later but for now— Let’s fill our stomachs with love.”

 

 

“Gramps, can I ask you something?”

Baekhyun was surprised at the sudden question but then he focused his attention toward the other. The younger seemed to be avoiding his eyes, choosing to pay attention on the leftover chicken on his plate.

“Go on, dear.”

Shifting his attention back to his grandfather’s face, Jongin finally let out an exasperated sigh.

“You’ve mentioned something about how much your relationship with Gramps Yeol had struggled a lot before. Do you mind telling me about it?”

“Me and my big mouth—“ Baekhyun laughed, sounding a lot more nervous than happy. “I really wish your gramps Yeol is here right now because it’ll be better to hear it from his perspective.”

“Really? Why is that, gramps?”

“Let’s just say that he’s actually the reason why most of the time, our relationship was in trouble—“ The man rubbed his nape and this time, there was an uncomfortable smile visible on his face. “When I first met your gramps, he was the perfect example of a wanderer— someone who wouldn’t stay in a relationship with one person for too long because he believed in having options. He’s a social person. He likes meeting people; get involved with them if they’re interesting enough to satiate his boredom. I guess old habits really die hard because even if we’re already together, he still couldn’t suppress his need to please others.”

 

 

_“It’s nothing, Baekhyun. It was just a kiss and it didn’t mean anything. The team pushed me towards her so what do you expect me to do? Be a pussy and back down on a dare? I’m a man, Baek. It would ruin my reputation if they see that I wasn’t up to kissing a girl.”_

_“And you didn’t even think about how I would feel about that, Chanyeol? Who the hell even told you to drink your fucking brains out?”_

_“I didn’t plan on getting shitfaced drunk, Baek! I’m their fucking team captain! It’s not like I could refuse the shots they were giving me! That’s rude.”_

_“You know what? Fuck you! Just go be their captain since you excel better as a player than a boyfriend!”_

 

 

“Your gramps Yeol used to be someone who wouldn’t think twice to drop everything whenever things get a little too uncomfortable for him—“

 

 

_“Why are you even paying attention to those kinds of rumors? You know that I’m not going to cheat on you.”_

_“Alright then. Where were you yesterday, Chanyeol?”_

_“I was at Yixing’s dorm, working on my Pharmacology assignment. I sent you a text message yesterday. You even replied with ‘Do your best and I love you,’ remember?”_

_“So I guess my best friend’s lying to me then? Junmyeon told me that he saw you at the movie house with Irene Bae yesterday.”_

_“Are you seriously doubting me right now, Baekhyun?”_

_“I am just asking you, Chanyeol. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. I just don’t see why Junmyeon’s going to lie about this.”_

_“That sounds like doubt to me—”_

_“Then alright, I’m doubting you— you know why? Because there were also a couple of others who told me that they fucking saw you with Irene not just yesterday but also last weekend, when you said that you’re going to spend your time with your visiting grandparents! What the fuck is going on here, Yeol?”_

_“Fine. I am going out with her.”_

_“W-What?”_

_“Irene Bae’s my childhood friend, Baekhyun, and I don’t see anything wrong with going out with her. Why are you making a big deal out of it? Am I not allowed to go out with a friend anymore?”_

_“How can I not make a big deal out of this when you’ve been lying to me, Chanyeol? It wasn’t just once, for fuck’s sake! They’ve been seeing you with Ire—“_

_“You know what? Fuck this. I’m out.”_

_“What did you say?”_

_“I don’t want this, Baekhyun. I don’t like being accused of because it makes me feel untrustworthy. Fuck! I don’t even like being nagged at!”_

_“Why are you turning this against me now? Am I the one who lie— Chanyeol! Where the fuck are you going?”_

_“_ _Out._ _I fucking want out so you can stop it with the nagging now.”_

 

 

“Your gramps used to be a commitment phobic; someone who’s scared to fall in love, scared to commit, scared to get hurt, scared to get his heart broken. He panics whenever he realizes that he’s not in control of something and we all know how unstable relationships are so what Chanyeol will do is that he’ll call things off the moment it gets too serious for him. He’d rather ran away from his feelings than fight for it because to him, relationships were _only_ an inconvenience.”

 

 

_“Chanyeol, please— let’s talk.”_

_“There is nothing to talk about, Baekhyun. You and I know that it’s never going to last.”_

_“Yeol— please. Please listen to me. Let me—“_

_“I want forever, Baekhyun, and I’m sorry but I really don’t see it with you. I don’t see the point of being together when it’s pretty obvious that we’re just wasting our time.”_

_“You can’t just expect me to let you go like that, Yeol. I love you. I’ll fight for you, for us— I’d even agree to be your second, if it comes to that—“_

_“Don’t you fucking dare do that, Baekhyun! Don’t do this to yourself. You’re better than this. You’re not like this!”_

_“But this is the only way I know how to keep you, Yeol—“_

_“Can’t you see that I don’t want to be kept? I want to be freely in love, Baekhyun— to walk hand in hand with someone that I love. I want to show them off to the world so that people will know that they’re mine—“_

_“Then let me be that person. I can be that person, Yeol. I’ll do anything you’d ask of me. Just please— please don’t leave me.”_

_“I’m sorry but it’s not— I-I don’t really see you in my fu—”_

_“Yeol—please…”_

_“Look, Baekhyun. Why don’t you go and live a little? You used to be so independent, used to be so opinionated about a lot of things. But now, you’ve become too dependent on me, too devoted on this relationship! You’ve forgotten how to speak and stand for yourself. You’re always doing what I want, agreeing to what I like. You don’t oppose to anything I say and that is not the person I spent almost three years with!”_

_“Then let me fix it, Yeol. Let me—”_

_“I’m sorry, Baekhyun. But I think this is for the best.”_

 

 

“It took me a while to realize that Chanyeol was just really insecure about a lot of things, mostly about _himself._ ”

 

 

_“I’m so tired of this, Baekhyun! I’m sick and tired of people linking me to anything related to you!”_

_“What are you saying, Yeol?”_

_“I feel like I don’t have an identity anymore… like everything that revolves around me is either about you or about us. There’s no ‘me’ anymore and it’s smothering the shit out of me. You and I are so linked to each other— it’s like… we are so— one.”_

_“What are you talking about? No one’s taking your identity. You are your own person.”_

_“You don’t understand, Baekhyun! Of course, you wouldn’t— considering how talented you are in almost everything that you do. You are so radiant, so beautiful, that I feel like a scum tainting your being. I’m nowhere near your abilities and it makes me feel like I don’t deserve being with you.”_

_“Chanyeol, if there’s one person who deserves me, it’s you. I wouldn’t even be the person I am today if not for you. You are the reason behind my achievements, the source of my inspiration. The thought of being yours makes me feel invincible; that I can do anything because you’re here beside me.”_

_“You’re just saying that to make me feel better. You don’t know what people say about us—“_

_“You should really stop thinking about what others say about us. This is our relationship, Yeol, not theirs.”_

_“Maybe we should take a break…”_

_“W-What?”_

_“Being with you shouldn’t be a burden onto my shoulders because you’re supposed to be my home court. Your side is supposed to be the place where I don’t question my thoughts and my feelings but I can’t help but feel them, Baek, and it’s seriously stressing the hell out of me.”_

_“Yeol, listen to m—“_

_“It’s not that I don’t love you anymore, okay? This isn’t about you. It’s— it’s the situation we’re in. I know that you won’t agree with me on this but I don’t want to exhaust us both, to keep pushing ourselves into something that may really end this wonderful relationship that we have. Someday, you'll come to realize that this decision is the best because this is how we are able to save our relationship.”_

_“Yeol—“_

_“Besides, we’re still young, Baekhyun. Think of it as your chance to explore the world, doing the things you’ve always wanted to do without inhibitions. Don’t you have things or dreams that you’ve always wanted to start out and accomplish? Who knows? Maybe this break up will be more favorable for you? That you’ll get to be the one who enjoys it more than me? You might even get to meet someone better than me?”_

_“And that doesn’t scare you? What if I fall for someone else, Chanyeol?”_ _  
  
“If we’re really meant to be together then nothing can draw us apart, Baek. Maybe I’m stupid for doing this but I have to know, Baekhyun. I really want to know if it’s you who I really want to be with. I want to see for myself how decided I am about this, how much I’m willing to spend the rest of my life with you. And if by the end of this, I realized that it's you who I belong with, I will move heaven and earth just to have you back again.”_

 

 

“During the first few years of our relationship, I couldn’t understand why he’s so uncomfortable with the idea of permanence when I could feel that he’s willing to stay with me, to spend the rest of his life with me. I tried to reach out to him— to assure him that I wouldn’t go anywhere, to really understand him to the best of my abilities but I’m only human, Jongin-ah. It always hurt every time he chose to let me go instead of fighting for us.”

 

 

_"What's the sense of being together when you and I couldn't even get married, for Christ's sake!”_

_“But I wasn’t even asking for marriage and I—“_

_“I wouldn’t even have the balls to introduce you to my family, Baek! I don’t think they’ll like the idea of me, having a relationship with a man.”_

_“Have I ever asked you to do that, Yeol? To introduce me to your family? I would never force you to do anything you wouldn’t want to do because I understand and respect your reservations and I—“_

_“Don’t you think that this is just a total waste of time? I mean, we could be out there—”_

_“I never, even for a second, think that I’m just wasting my time on this relationship, Chanyeol. I don’t invest my time into something unworthy of it! Why would you even think of something like that? Aren’t you happy with our relationship? Are you not happy with… me?_

_“That’s not what I meant, Baek. You know I’m happy with you—“_

_“But then there’s a ‘but’, right? Let me guess— it’s the same fucking reason. You want a normal life. You want to be out and proud with someone you wouldn’t be ridiculed with? Am I right, Chanyeol?”_

_“Don’t you want that too, Baek? Don’t you want to be with someone you wouldn’t hide to the world? Most especially to your family?”_

_“You see, that’s the problem with you, Chanyeol. You always care too much. You fucking care too much about what people think of you, about how they see you. But guess what? Their opinions don’t mean shit, Yeol—"_

_“What are you talking about? They’re my family, Baekhyun! Of course their opinions matter to me! I am here because of them! They’re my fortress, my strength, and the constant people in my life! How the hell will I not consider what they’ll think of me?”_

_“I am not talking about your family, Yeol. I know how important they are to you and I completely understand if you choose not to say a word to them about us. I’m not some heartless person who would want to put a strain in your relationship with them. I care about them because anyone important to you is important to me too.”_

_“Then why the hell would you suggest that? You’re fucking contradicting, Baekhyun!”_

_“I was referring to those people outside of our relationship, Chanyeol. Those homophobic friends of yours! You don’t fucking know me whenever you’re with them. You don’t even text me when you’re out with them! And what’s even worse is that you think highly about their fucking opinions when in fact, you don’t live to please them. You don’t owe them anything. They don’t put food in your table. They don’t buy the things that you need. But still—you care so much about their opinions of you. They don’t fucking own you, Chanyeol! And if they really care about you, they won’t make a fuss about you— being with me.”_

_“Well, I care about it because I don’t want them to think less of me—“_

_“So that’s it, huh? Being with me would make a big impact on your fucking amazing reputation?”_

_“You know that’s not what I’m trying to say, Baek.”_

_“Then what are you trying to say, Chanyeol?”_

_“I just— I just think that maybe we should just spare each other the hassles of being criticized and be a normal person instead? Wouldn’t that be nice, Baek? To free ourselves from this kind of stress?”_

_“Considering how distant you’ve been lately, it seems like you’ve thought about this already before you even talk to me about it. So what’s the use, Chanyeol? Do you even want me to stop you, beg you not to break up with me again when it’s fucking clear that you’ve already made up your decision? No matter what I do, no matter what I say— nothing matters anymore. You’re determined to leave and I can’t fight for you if you’re not willing to fight for us anymore.”_

_“I’m s-sorry, Baek. I’m so sorry for—“_

_“You can’t always put me aside every time you can’t make up your mind, Chanyeol. You know, it’s not being with you that’s tiring. Your indecisiveness, I can take. But this— this fucking argument that never seems to end makes it all exhausting.”_

_“Baek, I—“_

_“Find out what you’re looking for, Chanyeol. If I’m still here then maybe I’d be brave enough to risk my heart for you all over again.”_

 

 

Silence filled their surroundings as the both of them tried to internalize what had been said. It was a lot to take in and Jongin had never seen that one coming. Between his two grandfathers, it was his gramps Yeol who always wore his heart on his sleeve, the one who never failed to express his feelings. He couldn’t even begin to imagine how his grandfather handled all those indecisiveness when he had been nothing but an amazing partner.

“So you didn’t just suffer from people’s judgments but also had family issues too—“

“Well, Chanyeol’s always been the popular one ever since I met him. He’s had a crowd of his own, a natural when it came to charming people. He’s a people-person who loved to please them in any way that he could. He valued their opinions so much that we always argue about it. And it broke my heart every single time that it happened.”

“As for his family, Chanyeol’s parents were very traditional, something that no one in the family dared to contest. Worst part of it was that Chanyeol’s the only man in the family so they took it against me and blamed me for his being gay. It was a battle that shook both of our beings and he always fell apart every time it happened. Your grandfather loved his family so much that he would do anything to make them happy even if it came to a point that he’d break up with me. But I never took it against him because I understood why. Family issues are always a valid reason, Jongin-ah, because anything related to them is important to someone you love."

The man was once again trapped in his own thoughts that he didn’t even realize that his grandfather was already holding his hands.

“But— But you’re still together. How did you manage to get out of his family’s skin, gramps?”

“Actually, we didn't.” Baekhyun exhaled loudly. “Chanyeol just made a choice and he pushed through with it.”

“W-What choice, gramps?” Jongin couldn’t help but stutter because he already knew what the elder’s about to say.

_“To always choose me whatever happens…”_

Unfiltered emotions were slowly materializing onto the young man's face; a combination of devastation and pain marred his features. Jongin couldn’t help but to silently wish that his ex-lover did the same— to always choose him whatever happens.

“It was so hard battling against one’s insecurities, much more, if it’s the love of your life’s." Baekhyun said, taking all of Jongin's attention back to the topic. "It never failed to mess up my confidence especially when infidelity’s involved.”

 

 

_“How could you, Chanyeol?”_

_“B-Baek, p-please—“_

_“I don’t— I don’t understand. How is she— pregnant, Chanyeol?”_

_“Baekhyun, I'm s—“_

_“Am I really not good enough for you? Am I really undeserving to stand next to you? Have I not made you feel happy and content? Because I did everything that I could to love you but why do I still feel that I failed at it? Do you hate me that much that you have to do this to me? Have I not loved you enough, Chanyeol? Why does it feel that it was my fault? Why—“_

_“There isn’t anything wrong with you, Baek. You’re the most wonderful person I’ve ever met. Please don’t think that whatever I did has something to do with you. This is entirely my fault. You have nothing to do with this.”_

_“Then why, Chanyeol? Why did you—”_

_“There’s no excuse for what I’d done. I was stupid. I let my hormones get into me. I couldn’t be more sorry for what I did. I don’t want to drag you into this but I-I don’t know what to do, Baek. All I know is that I can’t lose you. I love you— so much that I don’t know how am I going to fix this.”_

_“I can’t even think straight right now. I’m so confused with everythi—“_

_“I know, Baek. I understand where you’re coming from. But please— please don’t ever think that you are not enough. You’re the most important person in my life and I don’t want to hurt you more than I already have. I caused you so much pain already and you don’t deserve it. I’ll talk to her. I’ll tell her that I’ll give child support and that I—“_

_“You can’t let that kid grow up without a father. You know how I feel about broken families and I’m not letting you un-father a kid, Chanyeol.”_

_“Please don’t tell me—”_

_“We have to. We both know that it’s the right thing to do.”_

_“But I can’t live without you, Baekhyun. I love you— I can’t lose you—“_

_“You’ll always have me, Yeol. I’ll always be here for you. But I’m not going to stand here and do nothing. I don’t want people to think that you’re irresponsible...”_

_“But I don’t love her, Baek! We were drunk and it was all a mistake. Please— please don’t give up on me. Don’t give up on us.”_

_“I am not letting people hate you, Chanyeol.”_

_Chanyeol had never cried so much in his life not until Baekhyun finally surrendered their relationship. He could see the pain in his eyes and he wanted nothing but to wash it all out. How the man managed to put a smile on his face was way beyond his comprehension. The smile was blinding enough to reach the darkest part of his crumbling world._

_“So this is it, then? We’re breaking up once again—“_

_“Even though it hurts me so much to do this, I’d rather break up with you now than make you suffer because people can get too judgmental and I’m not going to let that happen. I love you, Chanyeol. But we can’t be selfish. We can’t deny the unborn kid his father. We have to do this. I have to let you go.”_

_Baekhyun finally allowed himself to break down, his heart was being torn to pieces and he couldn’t stop the tears from falling. Chanyeol only hugged him tighter as he did his best to anchor him away from the pits of desolation. It was the only thing he could do for his inconsolable love, feeling his own heart shattering to pieces as it joined the man’s agony. Chanyeol couldn’t find it in himself to mollify the other because he, himself, was also wrecked to the core. But his feelings were the least of his concerns now because he couldn’t let Baekhyun cry this much for someone as stupid as him. Chanyeol had to tell him how much he meant the world to him even if he knew that no words could ever make Baekhyun stay._

_“I love you, Byun Baekhyun. I have never loved anyone else this much other than you. I hope you’ll get to forgive me someday and that you’ll stop blaming yourself for what happened to us. I made this, Baek. I got us here. You’ve been nothing but the best partner one could ever have. I am so sorry for ruining what we have. I will never forget you. Please be happy because you deserve to be.”_

 

 

The young man was rendered speechless at the revelation. He had always wanted to know how it happened, how his dad came to the picture because he had never once met a woman in their family. He didn't dare asked his dad nor his grandfathers out of respect. And Jongin is a man of science. He hasn’t heard of any advancement in technology that can make a man bear an offspring.

"Gramps, I'm sor—"

“Don’t be, Jongin-ah.” Baekhyun smiled reassuringly. “It’s all in the past now.”

Despite of how heartbreaking the story was, Jongin found himself in awe with the way his grandfather was taking it calmly. That has got to be the most heart-rending story he’d ever heard, even more depressing than his current situation with Kyungsoo. The young man wondered how his grandfather managed to get through that. He was sure that if he were in his position, he wouldn’t be able to bear the pain.

“I— I don’t know what to say, gramps.”

“You don’t have to say anything, Jongin-ah. I’m only trying to tell you that all relationships go through hell but the real ones get through it. It’s normal to experience those struggles because it strengthens the foundation of the relationship. Aside from that, it also makes you, _as a person—_ become stronger, wiser, and better. Your gramps Yeol and I may have fallen apart for countless of times but you see— that didn’t stop us from ending up with each other. We’re still together because we believe in right timing.”

“Right timing?”

“Yes, dear. Right timing.” Baekhyun beamed widely. “The universe kept on conspiring against us because it wasn’t time yet for us to be together.”

“What do you mean, gramps?” Jongin affixed his eyes at the elder, searching his face for an answer.

“We had to be tested, be broken, receive several blows in our faces, just to make sure that we really are prepared for what we’re getting ourselves into. Fate knows that we are meant for each other but it has to test our determination just to make sure that we are built for each other.”

The elder let out another sigh.

“What needs to be done has to be done. As much as the breakups killed us, we knew that it’s for the best at that time. Chanyeol knew that if he insisted on staying together, things would blow out of proportions and would backfire at him. He knew that if he pushed things further, he would definitely lose me forever.”

“Like I said, I really wish he’s the one re-telling this story because I always make him appear as the bad guy whenever I tell someone of our story.” Baekhyun laughed loudly at the notion. “But it wasn’t my intention, really. I never really see his faults as a bad thing because it only makes him more human.”

“Don’t tell your grandfather I told you this but I used to envy him because of how perfect he is, his goddamn face made me believe that God plays favorites.” Jongin was surprised to see how flushed his grandfather’s cheeks were. “But when we got together, I realized that he has flaws too and that he’s just good at covering them."

"But despite of his imperfections," Baekhyun paused, only to smile at the younger. "I would never trade him for anyone even if that person promised the entire solar system to me. Your gramps Yeol balanced my deficiencies. He compensated most of my shortcomings.”

Jongin was definitely blown away at that. His grandfather didn’t really need to assure him of his love for his gramps Yeol but it seemed like it was natural for the elder to do it. It was like he was meant to tell the world how much he loves his other half.

With bated breath, Jongin asked, “But— How did you take it, gramps? How did you accept my dad?”

Baekhyun smiled widely at the question, his mind zoned in to his stubborn but adorable son, _Park Sehun._ He had always loved the boy even though he wasn’t his.

“It was indeed one of the most difficult time for me, Jongin-ah. I was there when your grandfather married your grandmother. Don’t get me wrong though. I respect your grandmother. I even gave her my blessing. And maybe— I kind of threatened her a little? That’s a joke though. Don’t take it seriously.“

The two of them laughed loudly at that.

“I remember how awkward it was when I wished the happy couple all the best in life, all the happiness this world could offer. It was a heart-shattering moment for me to hand over the love of my life to someone else but then the look on your grandfather’s face made me bear with it. His smile was so radiant that it numbed the pain I had to endure.” Baekhyun chuckled but his eyes were nothing but sad. “Your gramps wasn’t really in love with your grandmother at first but he was so excited to meet your dad and he couldn’t be more thankful to your grandmother for giving the boy to him. Chanyeol didn’t want to steal the happy family idea from your dad so he opened up his heart to your grandma, eventually loving her until she was taken from him.”

Chanyeol’s wife, _Park Sandara,_ died at the age of 33 because of pancreatic cancer. It was sudden and really unexpected and the man had been so heartbroken over his loss. Baekhyun had been there all along to witness his devastation, always offering a hand whenever necessary. He was the one who beat some sense into him by making him remember that he has a kid to take care of. And one look at Sehun made Chanyeol realize that he has to keep moving forward even though his heart was still grieving.

“Your gramps have always loved the idea of having kids and of course, I could never give him that.”

“Gramps, I—“

“You asked me what made me accept your dad, right?” Baekhyun’s eyes were a little teary but his smile was still reassuring. “Your grandfather is someone I’m always willing to lose myself with. I would never hesitate to give up anything even if it comes to a point where I’d have to battle the whole world just to keep him happy. I could still remember how your gramps cried so much when Sehun was born. He was never one to contain his happiness. I had never seen him so content not until your dad came into his life. And it was his unconditional love for your dad that made me accept him.”

Jongin was silent but his heart was heavy. The pain that the elder felt was beginning to work its way into his heart. Tears started to roll down from his eyes and he didn’t stop himself from letting it all out. Baekhyun immediately enclosed his hands with his, hushing the younger from sobbing his heart out.

“I never pegged you to be a crybaby, Jongin-ah.” The old man snorted while the other was left pouting at his teasing. “Now don’t cry, my boy. My story is not over yet."

 

 

_“Chanyeol, stop it! Don’t do this, please—”_

_“Baek— please… please don’t— don’t marry him.”_

_“But why, Chanyeol? Aren’t you supposed to be happy for me?”_

_“Please don’t ask me to be happy for you when I am about to lose you for good.”_

_“Don’t I deserve to be with someone too, Yeol? Don’t I deserve to be happy?”_

_“There isn’t anything in this world that you deserve the most than happiness, Baekhyun. But— I wanted to be the one to give you that.”_

_“Yeol— Don’t do this…”_

_“You promised me, Baekhyun. You promised that I’m the only man that you’ll ever love, remember? Please— Please don’t marry him. Please give me one more chance. Please let me make up to you.”_

_“Are you hearing yourself right now, Chanyeol? You’re still as selfish as—“_

_“I was born selfish, Baekhyun! You know that. I know I’m being unfair but— I’m not— I’m never going to be ready to let go of you. Baek—I c-can’t… please… please don’t marry him.”_

_“I love him, Chanyeol. He made me feel alive once more. He’s the reason why my heart is at peace again. I could never break his heart for it was him who fixed it.”_

_“I know you love him, Baek. I’m not blind. I can see it no matter how much I want to ignore it. You smile differently whenever he’s around and it breaks my heart to see that smile for it was once mine. I know I have no right to feel envious but I want to be the receiver of that smile once again, Baek. Please— please give me one more cha—“_

_“Chanyeol— stop it.”_

_“I love you. Byun Baekhyun, I fucking love you and I really don’t want to lose you. Please—“_

_“I’m sorry but I can’t do this, Chanyeol.”_

_“Baek—“_

_“I already gave my word to him and I intend to keep it.”_

 

 

“B-But— how is it that you’re still with—“

“Oh! I’m getting to that part already." Baekhyun chuckled. "Why are you so impatient?”

 

 

_“B-Baekhyun?”_

_"I c-couldn’t s-say it. I d-don’t know why but I— I couldn’t say it, Yeol.”_

_“What happened, Baek?”_

_“I couldn’t do it— I couldn’t stop thinking about you, for Christ’s sake! I am about to get married to the most wonderful man I’ve ever met but you kept popping up on my mind ever since—“_

_And then he was being kissed. Baekhyun’s lips were trembling, his whole physique seemed to be in shock but the taller man just kept on kissing him until the other finally responded, his feelings pouring onto his lips._

_“You have no idea how happy I am right now, Byun Baekhyun. I must’ve done something really good in the past to have you in my arms right now—“_

_“And you have no idea how much I hated loving you, Park Chanyeol. I definitely regret hurting the man I’d promised forever with but I know that I won’t ever be happy if I’m not with you. I love you so much that it’s fucking unhealthy, do you know that?”_

_“I love you too, Baek— so much and I’m so sorry for putting you up with a lot of heartbreaks but I am promising you now that I will make you the happiest man on Earth.”_

_“You definitely should, Park Chanyeol, or I’m gonna steal your beautiful boy away from you! It won’t be hard, you know, since he adores me more than you.”_

_“You don’t have to do that, Baek. I promise to treasure you from now on and no stealing is bound to happen unless— it’s your last name.”_

_Baekhyun teared up at that and Chanyeol was fast enough to wipe those tears falling from his cheeks._

_“I love you and I plan to continue doing so for the rest of my life— that is, if you’ll have me again and my pain-in-the-butt boy.”_

_“This time, I promise to always choose you, Chanyeol. And I promise to love Sehun as if he’s mine.”_

 

 

“I hope that this doesn’t make you think badly of your gramps Yeol, Jongin-ah...” Baekhyun’s expression looked nothing but remorseful. “He may have committed a lot of mistakes before but who are we to judge him for that? At one point in time, we were all young, dumb, and had no idea of what love and life was all about. We were impulsive because we were naive. Our cluelessness made us feel invincible that nothing and no one could ever stop us from anything that we’d wish to do. It’s only possible we’d end up committing a lot of mistakes because when you’re young, there’s always that itch to satisfy your curiosities. We may have been hurt from its after effects but it only made us learn more about life and about ourselves.”

"I understand, gramps. Don't worry about it." Jongin smiled genuinely and the elder responded with a smile of his own.

“You see now, my boy— how much our relationship had gone through. Struggles are always a part of it, I tell you, but it should never discourage you. It should keep you going, keep you motivated, and fire you up when you feel like giving up because love is not a feeling but a _decision,_ Jongin-ah. You choose whom to stay and whom to let go. You choose your own happiness and I always make sure to choose your grandfather regardless of how much heartbreak I may end up having. His indecisiveness will always be a part of him but it’s the cross I chose to carry because I know that there isn’t anyone I’d want to spend forever with than your grandfather.”

 

**> >.<<**

 

The sound of keys on the doorstep immediately distracted the two from their heart-to-heart conversation and Baekhyun was quick to stand up despite of his weak legs.

“Baek, I’m hom— _Jongin?”_

Said man was standing awkwardly in the middle of the living room, offering a bright smile to the newcomer.

“Don’t just stand there, you silly boy. Have mercy on my knees, will you? Come here and give your gramps a hug.”

Jongin’s lips slowly turned upright as he began to meet his grandfather half way. He didn’t hesitate to hug him and Chanyeol returned the gesture, tightly embracing the young Park to express his happiness.

Leaning back a little, Chanyeol’s eyes roamed around the young man’s body and he was awed at the similarities between him and his grandson.

“I see that you’ve taken most of the Park trademark in you—“

 

Jongin was born out of traditional surrogacy with Sehun, being the sperm donor while his sister Minnie was from his other dad, Lu Han's. The boy was conceived two years after Sehun officially married Lu Han in Canada and after 2 chaotic years of bringing up a hyperactive Jongin, the couple settled on adding a new member who, _to Lu Han’s delight,_ happened to be a girl.

When Minnie turned 2, the Park family decided to come back to Seoul because Sehun was offered a job from one of the most prestigious law firms in the city. Actually, he was against it. He didn’t really want to go back because he feared for his family. Knowing of how conservative South Korea was, Sehun worried for his kids’ safety. They might get bullied for having 2 dads and he didn’t want to put them in that kind of scrutiny. Sehun didn’t care about himself and neither did Lu Han. All that mattered to them was the welfare of their kids.

Thankfully, Sehun and Lu Han had never experienced discrimination. Their colleagues had been very understanding about their situation. They were never judged nor condemned simply because of how passionate they were in bringing up their kids. And they had never felt content in their lives. Seeing how well their kids were growing was their biggest accomplishment.

 

“Well, his height and those octopus limbs and legs are definitely a Park signature, aren’t they?” Baekhyun butt in, eliciting laughter from the three of them.

“This was indeed a pleasant surprise, Baek! I almost went speechless— I mean, I did go speechless but this is really one of the best Thursdays ever.” Chanyeol’s now crooked teeth was full on display as he gently gathered his husband into his arms, swooping down a little to give the man a kiss on the forehead.

“Wait a minute— Is that fried chicken I’m smelling? How biased of you, Baek. That’s Jongin-ah’s favorite.” Chanyeol pouted and Baekhyun rolled his eyes at the gesture.

“But I’ve always been number one to him— right, gramps Baek?”

While Baekhyun smiled at the assumption, the other frowned at the younger. Chanyeol had always been childish when it came to hoarding Baekhyun’s attention.

“ _Park Baekhyun!_ You better tell this assuming kiddo who’s your favorite.”

Chanyeol’s voice was beginning to get crabby but Baekhyun decided to seal his lips so as not to fuel his husband’s tantrums. He knew that he would never hear the end of it in case he allowed his mouth get the best of him. He’d rather not take anyone’s side than have the two giant Parks angry with him.

“Tell him, Baek— Tell Park Jongin that I am and will always be your favorite.”

_Trust Chanyeol for acting like the more ‘matured’ one between the two._

“Yeol— Stop acting like a kid who wants attention, please.” Adding to Chanyeol's injury was the way Jongin looked smug. It did rile him up even more. “Now come along, _boys._ Anyone wants to have some turtle pie for dessert?”

It was Jongin who decided to leave first, leaving the two elders at the hallway. Baekhyun would’ve laughed at the eagerness of his grandson if not for the sulking man beside him. He was still brooding over the ‘favorite’ issue.

“Welcome home, Yeol,” he said, leaning in to kiss the other’s cheek. “You know that you’ll always be my favorite and that there will never be anyone rivaling you at being first— not even Jongin.”

 

 

“So how’s everyone doing? How are your dads and your sister?”

“My dads are still gross. I wish they would keep their hands off of each other whenever they’re in front of us—“ Both elders laughed at the younger’s disgusted look. “While Minnie, on the other hand, is still at war with Dad. They had a fight last week. I guess, you’ve already heard about that. I was told that Dad called you last Monday and I’m sure he didn’t forget to mention it to you.”

Baekhyun laughed heartily, remembering that night when their son called them up. Sehun was indeed enraged as he told them about his daughter’s escapade. Even his pretty husband couldn’t pacify him.

“Is he still mad over Minnie’s short trip to Jeju last weekend? Bet he still is. Knowing your father, his rage wouldn’t die down easily.” Baekhyun snorted, earning an enthusiastic nod from his husband.

“Got that right, gramps. You should’ve seen how furious dad had been. He was scolding her like she’s 10 when in fact, she’s already 21, _of legal age if I may add._ ” Jongin couldn’t help but to stress out the last sentence, his eyes narrowing a little from the unexpected outburst.

“I had been summoned by both Dad and Appa just to talk to Min because the brat didn’t want to talk to any of them. Apparently, Dad grounded her, prohibiting her from going out with her friends for a month so they got into an ugly argument.” The younger sighed loudly, earning an amused chuckle from the old man beside him.

“Minnie threatened dad, gramps. She said that if he wouldn’t stop being so overprotective of her, she’d ran away and would never be seen by any of us again. She kept telling our dads that she’s old enough to decide for herself so imagine how shocked Dad had been— his face was so red, I swear I saw steams of anger blowing off of his ears. It was so funny how Dad had tried so hard to suppress his anger but still eventually lost it because Minnie was an amazing provoker. She didn’t even cower at dad’s fury.”

Baekhyun could actually visualize what the boy was talking about. Park Sehun is just like his father— _overprotective and an over thinker._ It made him smile to see the similarities between the senior Park and his junior.

“One of these days, I’m going to have a word with your father regarding his overprotectiveness with Minnie.” It was Chanyeol this time who spoke while gobbling up a spoonful of his dessert. “It’s pretty obvious that she also has that Park stubborn attitude. Your dad should’ve been the first one to understand your sister. I understand that parents are always scared for their kids' well-being but he needs to learn when and not to meddle with your sister’s affairs. She’s a young adult already. She won’t learn anything if he keeps on preventing her from making mistakes.”

Then Baekhyun followed up. “Not that we want your sister to end up getting hurt— _no._ We would never wish for anyone in this family to get hurt. We just want you and Minnie to learn life, as it is; that despite of how cruel the world may be, it’s still a great place to live in. And that no matter how unfairly life may treat you, you’d still have to deal with it without prejudice because that’s the essence of living— committing as many mistakes as possible so that you’ll come out strong and wise, putting whatever you’ve learned in action.”

“Like I said—“ Jongin beamed at the two elder. “I am really _really_ glad that I came here."

 

“It’s getting late, Yeol. I’m sure Jongin wants to rest now. Would you be a darling and show him his room?” Chanyeol smiled at his partner and nodded. “Now go and rest, my dear. See you tomorrow. Good night.” Baekhyun kissed the younger’s forehead, gently patting his cheeks and went back to his cleaning duties.

As the two men went up the stairs, Chanyeol kept asking about his dads, laughing at the fact that his usually unconcerned boy had now became grumpy. Sehun used to be a composed guy who never gave a damn about anything and Chanyeol was internally pleased with what he had become. Having his own family sure did make Sehun more sensible.

As they reached the first door to the right, Chanyeol opened the room where Jongin or his sister usually stayed whenever any of them visits.

“So here’s your room, Jongin-ah.” He said, gesturing his wrinkly hands across the cozy room. “By the way, we’re going fishing tomorrow. We’ll leave at 5 in the morning so you better set the alarm clock beside your bed.”

“Five? That’s too—“

“We’re going fishing! I reckon you’ve always enjoyed it!” The elder spoke with excitement but the younger only groaned in response.

“Alright, gramps. I’ll set the alarm at 4:30. _Damn._ That’s too— early.”

“There won’t be any fish to catch if we start late so stop complaining, _city_ boy. It’ll be fun, I promise. Just you and me— having the time of our lives tomorrow.” Jongin rolled his eyes as the other laughed at his irritation.

“Good night, Jongin-ah. I feel that there’s something bothering you but don’t worry— I won’t ask until you’re ready to open up.” Chanyeol lightly squeezed the other’s shoulder. “I want you to know that I’m really happy that you’re here. You know that you can always talk to us about anything, right? We won’t judge, I promise. We’ll listen. We’ll do our best to cheer you up.”

What Chanyeol didn’t know was that the beans had already been spilled and that Jongin couldn’t wait to listen to his side of the story.

 

The following day, Jongin was awoken by incessant pats on his shoulder.

“Jongin-ah— wake up. It’s 4AM already.” Baekhyun’s soft voice resonated across the room but because it was too gentle, it lulled him back to sleep. Jongin pulled the covers over his head to block the noise that’s been trying to wake him up.

“Alright.” The elder said, tone feigning exhaustion. “I guess it’ll be better to pass the wake up duty to your gramps Yeol then.”

Despite of his sleepiness, Jongin could only groan at the statement for he knew better than to ignore his grandfather’s warning. His gramps Yeol had always been a harsh creature when it came to wake up call duties and he would literally drag him out of his bed if the situation called for it.

“No need, Gramps. I’m awake now— _wide awake.”_

Baekhyun chuckled at the sarcasm. He didn’t want to use the ‘Yeol lifeline’ but that was the only way he could get the man out of the bed. Jongin is a lover of sleep that even his favorite chicken won’t be able to haul him out of his cot.

“Very well. Go get ready, will you?” Jongin looked absolutely adorable in his sleepy state and Baekhyun couldn’t help but to ruffle his hair and give his cheeks a little pinch.

“I made you breakfast and you’re not getting out of this house without eating them.”

 

_"You’re late.”_

While Chanyeol was all out miffed at the tardiness, Jongin was happily filling his stomach to his heart’s content.

“I told you to turn that damn clock on before you sleep.”

“I did, gramps. It’s just that gramps Baek beat the clock to it.” He countered, his mouth still full of pancakes. “I should’ve known better. Every time I come here, gramps Baek never fails to put the alarm clock into shame. Whether or not I have plans on that specific day, he always wakes me up at the earliest hour of the day.”

Chanyeol snorted and Baekhyun huffed in annoyance.

“I think I’ve heard of that before.” The taller elder mumbled. “Oh right— Sehun said the same thing when he used to live here. As much as I’m a better _waker_ than your gramps Baek, I think you youngsters fear him more than me.”

“That’s because he threatens us that he’ll call you to drag us out of our beds.” Jongin whined. “He always says the same thing— ‘Don’t wait for your gramps Yeol to come up and haul your sleepy ass away from your bed.’ How the hell are we supposed to ignore that warning?”

It was Baekhyun who laughed this time. His droopy eyes were teary as his laughter echoed across the kitchen.

“I’m sorry to hear that, sweetheart, but you should know that I don’t like being ignored.” The elder playfully winked at him and a gentle smile blossomed onto his face.

“It’s almost 4:30 now. Hurry up and stuff those remaining pancakes inside your mouth or we won’t have anything for supper tonight.”

Jongin was still mumbling to himself when Chanyeol turned to look at his husband. “We’ll be back after lunch, Baek. Don’t forget to eat your lunch and to take your pills. You’ve been complaining about your knees lately, which means you’re forgetting to take them.”

“Okay, Yeol. I’ll set an alarm for that. Thank you for reminding me.” He beamed and placed a kiss onto the man’s cheek. “Take care, you two— and don’t forget to have fun!”

“I already promised Jongin-ah, Baek, and I intend to keep it.” Baekhyun then glanced at the said man who was childishly sticking his tongue out at the both of them. Chanyeol, in return, glared at the other’s rudeness.

“See you later, Baek. Lock the door, okay?”

“I will.” Baekhyun then turned his attention back to the younger and gave him a peck on his cheek. “I woke up early to make you those pancakes so don’t you dare feed them to the fishes, Jongin-ah.”

Chanyeol laughed loudly at that remembering the last time he took the younger to fishing. Jongin was never the seasick type of kid. In fact, he was always excited every time his grandfather took him out to Nakdong River for a little boating trip. But their first time fishing was a different story though and it was _so_ memorable that Jongin chose not to visit them the next summer vacation.

It had been windy that day; the breeze was persistently terrorizing their small boat, rocking it tremendously. The continuous swaying had gotten onto the boy’s nerves, causing him to throw up his breakfast. And as the _then_ 14-year old Jongin struggled to stabilize his breathing, Chanyeol noticed a school of fish garnering around the bits and pieces of his grandson’s vomit, eating the remains of what supposed to be— Baekhyun’s infamous pancakes.

“I’m not a kid anymore,” Jongin said petulantly. “I’m not going to throw up, gramps, so don’t worry yourself about it.”

 

Jongin was silently praying for a nice weather along their way because he didn’t want to end up embarrassing himself just like the last time they went fishing. He’s not going to throw up again; his man pride wouldn’t let himself live on it this time. And he couldn’t be more thankful that his prayer was answered. It was indeed a fine day to go fishing.

“Help me drag the boat into the water, Jongin-ah.”

The man hurried to his grandfather’s side, placing 2 fishing rods inside the allotted space on the boat. He assisted his grandfather to haul the said boat into the water with less difficulty. Thanks to his daily work out sessions.

“You still remember how to use the crankbait, right?” Chanyeol asked as he checked on his own fishing rod.

“Yes, gramps. I do. Please stop treating me like a kid.”

The elder laughed so hard that it unbelievably echoed at the vast space they were in.

“Alright, then. Show me what you got—“

Jongin began preparing for his task, checking his rod for good measure. He carefully casted it onto the river while the elder only stared at him in amusement. Chanyeol then swung his own, doing it slowly for he couldn’t afford to strain any part of his body. He feared that if he pulled a muscle, it would emasculate him in front of the younger brat. Surely, that would warrant a satisfied reaction from his grandson, which the elder wouldn’t want to witness.

The weather was warm but not enough to dehydrate their skin. It was the right kind of balance, warm with a little bit of cold breeze. The view was magnificent. With its wide variety of plants littering the sides of the river, it seemed like a painting that could leave its viewer in awe. And Jongin's heart began to ache at the beauty of it. He wished that Kyungsoo was there to see it too.

The elder seemed to notice the unwarranted silence but chose to keep his mouth shut. He had been dying to know what happened to his grandson but he didn’t want to push him into talking. If Jongin’s not yet ready, then he’ll wait for him as long as it takes.

“Gramps, there’s— there’s something I’d like to ask you...”

“Go ahead, Jongin-ah—“

The younger was still busy gazing at the breathtaking scene before them but his face appeared to be considering on something. Choosing his next words carefully, Jongin then on started the interrogation.

“Why did you— Why did you cheat on gramps Baek?”

The elder only rubbed his nape but he was smiling as if the question wasn't _that_ offending.

“I see that you guys have been talking behind my back.”

“N-No, gramps— It’s j-just—“

Chanyeol raised a hand to quiet down his panic-stricken grandson. And when the elder's lips curled upward, Jongin finally allowed himself to relax.

“I don’t remember you being jumpy and easily anxious, Jongin-ah. Did your gramps Baek made you promise not to tell me about your small talk?”

“No, gramps. I just— I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable. I already made gramps Baek uneasy last night and I don’t want you to feel the same way.”

“You should really be thankful that he has a strong heart, you know? Or else, I’m not gonna go easy on you. I won’t hesitate to strangle you if anything serious happens to him.” Chanyeol tried to appear intimidating but his wrinkled face sold him.

“So I guess, it’s time to defend myself now, huh?”

Chanyeol mockingly raised a brow and Jongin slowly gave him a nod. Taking a deep breath, he looked back at the view in front of them, away from Jongin’s anticipating eyes.

“Have you ever heard of the chemistry of love, Jongin-ah?”

That wasn’t what the younger was expecting to hear but he shook his head to egg the elder to continue. Somehow, the statement got him interested.

“You see, science always has a reason for everything including love. Science says that the feelings caused by love do not really originate from the heart but from the brain.”

All of a sudden, there was a gentle pull on the younger’s rod, signifying that something finally took the bait. Jongin calmly rolled the lever and slowly lifted the tip of the rod.

“Don’t lose it, Jongin-ah. That’ll be our supper.” He heard the elder said but because he was still stuck over the theory, he pulled his rod too fast, unintentionally letting go of the said dinner.

“Aww… you lost it!”

“I’m sorry, gramps. I-I didn’t mean to.”

“Don’t worry, my boy. There’s still many fishes in the ocean— in our case, it’s a river.”

The two snickered at the stupidity of the idea but when the laughter died down, Jongin once again opened up the topic.

“So about that theory— love chemistry, was it?” Chanyeol nodded, a smile was blooming onto his lips. “What does it have to do with cheating, gramps? I'm not even sure how that can be related...”

“They’re actually related. A whole lot, if I may add. This used to be my justification on cheating, you know. And Baekhyun would always smack me in the head whenever I try to use it.”

The elder snorted, later on clearing his throat to begin with his explanation.

“When we fall in love, our brain produces what science calls the 'Cocktail of love.' This is a mixture of certain chemicals, which are responsible for the unfathomable behavior we experience when the attraction finally hits us. Dopamine, Serotonin, and Epinephrine are amongst them and are often called the pleasure chemicals. They are responsible for the erotic high that lovers feel whenever they see each other. Remember the butterflies in your stomach that you feel whenever that person passes by? The hyperactivity of your daydreams that never seems to know when to stop? The giddiness that occurs whenever you think about that special someone? Those are just a few of the reactions that clearly states you’re infatuated.”

“There’s also the Phenylethylamine which activates the neurotransmitters in the brain to _increase_ the release of those three hormones. So imagine if your body is heavily influenced by these hormones— I guess that’s where they get the idea, ‘crazy in love’ huh? Because there’s actually some truth in it, you know. Nothing inside our body is balanced when you’re in love. Its either there’s over secretion of the hormones or the lack of it and it sure does affects our mood. Sometimes, we find ourselves feeling extremely happy or immensely sad for no reasons at all— kind of similar to a loony’s mood, don’t you think?"

“According to research, the surge of these chemicals only lasts for 18 months. After that, the brain then produces two more hormones— the oxytocin, otherwise known as the cuddle hormone, and vasopressin, sometimes referred to as the hormone of libido which obviously increases our sex drives.” Chanyeol’s smirk made Jongin feel flustered all over. "These hormones establish the depth of love and build attachment towar—“

“Now hold up, gramps—“ Jongin interrupted, hands flailing to indicate how badly he needed to recuperate from the newfound information. “There’s too much scientific shit in your explanation. I might be a science major but I’m more on patient intervention than chemistry involved. I’m sorry but you’re making my head throb and you’re still not making any sense right now—“

And Chanyeol could only laugh at his impatience.

“If you won't stop interrupting me, then you’re never going to understand the whole idea of this love chemistry _shit._ ”

“But I really don’t see the relevance of it to cheating—” The elder then flicked his forehead.

“Your generation seriously is a lazy population. You guys are very impatient to—“

“But I’ve been listening patiently here, gramps...” Chanyeol snorted and placed his hand over the other’s shoulder.

“Alright, alright. No need to get cranky, my boy. But let me first finish the chemistry stuff, okay?”

As Jongin nodded, Chanyeol once again turned his attention back to his rod.

“The presence of the last two hormones indicates that you’re transitioning out of infatuation, now entering the post honeymoon phase or what they call, the stage of attachment. Attachment is a bond that takes the relationship to the next level. You no longer feel embarrassed with your peculiar mannerisms or anything that you considered humiliating enough because you’re more comfortable now with that person. You feel secured, stable, and content because you finally have someone to trust and to rely on. That’s one of the highlights in every relationship actually— the fun in getting to know more about each other and the excitement you feel when you chase one another. But then— “ Chanyeol paused, breathing deeply. “… nothing is permanent in this world except changes and sadly, feelings are one of them.”

“It’s when stability and permanence are established that _boredom_ begins to manifest itself. That’s kind of ironic, don’t you think? That when you finally feel at home with someone, there’s still this uncontentment at the back of your head that keeps nagging the shit out of you?” Chanyeol looked at his grandson only to find him nodding, somehow agreeing to what he just said.

“When everything becomes routinary and there’s nothing new to look forward to anymore, you begin to feel the thirst for excitement. There’s this itch that wants you to go out and search for an adventure. You’ll try to look for new hobbies, get good at it _or not,_ or bond with your friends a whole lot more. You’ll be happy, yes, but still— these activities are not enough because humans are _never_ contented. Little by little, you’ll find yourself reflecting on that euphoria of love you once had.”

“All of a sudden, everything appears difficult to you. The relationship becomes exhausting that it unexpectedly drains you. Slowly but surely, the phone calls you used to anticipate so much become a bother. Touching becomes too annoying that you don’t welcome it just like before. The used-to-be-cute idiosyncrasies of your beloved now drive you nuts. You begin to neglect your responsibilities in your relationship, indulging yourself with anything outside of it. You get pissed off over small things and starts putting your frustrations on that person. You get riled up so easily that you instantly lose your temper the moment an argument ensues. And that’s where relationships begin to fall apart.”

“So how do you avoid these nasty feelings? You distance yourself more. You invest most of your time on avoiding the issue because you’re _too_ lazy to argue. What you’re forgetting is that arguments are essential to a relationship because you learn to compromise from it. And then you become blinded by your own love-hate relationship with yourself because _of course_ — you still feel bad for hurting your partner. But you have no idea how to fix the problem because you don’t know how to fix yourself, or your messed up feelings for that matter. So you try to search for help by confiding your problems to someone you think will understand— only to end up having a dirty little secret.”

“Now let’s go back to that love chemistry theory I told you about.” Chanyeol made a pause to exhale deeply. “Unfortunately, the love potion runs out and there is no way for you to replenish it on your own. Your partner can’t even help you with that anymore because the feeling can never be reignited by the same person twice and it’s only when you take a shot on someone else that you’ll get to experience it again.”

“Okay, okay. So let me get this straight—“ Jongin adjusted his posture and set his eyes onto the elder’s face. “From your explanation alone, we have already established the idea that love comes from the brain and not from the heart since it’s responsible for the secretion of those hormones which elicits those body reactions, am I correct?” Chanyeol smiled widely and nodded at the simplification. “But unfortunately, the outpour of these chemicals only lasts for a couple of months and can never be triggered again by the same person, right? So you cheat to stimulate the brain to produce that love mixture and that’s when you feel in love again?”

Chanyeol clapped his hands to amuse his grandson but the man only scowled at him in return.

“Do you now understand why the theory has a lot to do with cheating?” Jongin hesitantly nodded. “I’m not trying to defend cheating, okay? I just want you to understand that _sometimes,_ cheating becomes a part of the relationship— even our body agrees on that. Now don’t tell me you’ve never find anyone else, other than that boy you’ve introduced to us 3 years ago, attractive? Affairs don't just happen in bedrooms, Jongin-ah. They also begin with _simple_ conversations. There will always be someone who will catch your attention, someone other than the one you’re with. They’ll match your personality, jive with your interests, make you laugh to your heart’s content, but it’s up to you whether you’ll do something about it or detach yourself from that person.”

“It’s funny how people usually think that cheating doesn’t do anything good to a relationship when it’s _one_ way to solidify the foundation of it. You cheat because it makes you remember how it feels to be in love again. You cheat because you want to prove to yourself that you’re sure of the person you’ve chosen to grow old with. You cheat because you felt the need to test your relationship. And it’s not bad, you see, because it is very important to challenge certainty and suggest a possibility— the possibility that can lead you to a lasting relationship.”

“I never meant to cheat on your grandfather but somewhere along the way, I lost sight of what’s important because the idea of permanence kept on bugging me to death and I was never really good at handling that feeling before. Adding more fuel to the fire was the fact that I was feeling sick and tired of being in sync with your gramps at that time. But instead of looking for ways to fix that problem, I wholeheartedly welcomed the boredom— stupidly believing that the love was fading already or that the spark was— gone. That became the reason why the passion in me cooled off, allowing it to kill the element of surprise in your gramps's and I's relationship. I tried to remedy the situation by asking him to move in with me which was again a stupid move because it made everything worse. I found myself deeply overwhelmed by it because living together gave me the impression of something serious, something permanent and that scared the heck out of me.”

“So I indulged myself with anything that my career could offer just to stop the feeling but it only intensified even more, making me insensitive over Baekhyun and ours’ relationship needs. Worse was that I didn’t even stop to think about the impact of my actions but rather drowned myself with it, preoccupying myself with life’s responsibilities. That was one of the biggest mistakes I’ve made in life— to take for granted the heart I’d sworn to protect.”

“Then I met your grandmother, one of the sweetest woman I’ve ever met.” Chanyeol smiled at the memory. “We clicked so fast that I didn’t know I was already heading toward a dangerous zone. I got drawn into it because it was something new, like a breath of fresh air in a suffocating environment. I knew it was wrong but I was thirsty for that kind of excitement. I was already weak so I couldn't fight the pull I felt toward it. In the end, I surrendered and allowed myself to just go along with it.”

” _That_ diversion led me into two things— having your father and Baekhyun, suffering the consequences of my action. I was just as devastated as him when your grandmother confronted me about her pregnancy. For the first time in my life, I felt so helpless— I didn’t know what to do. What I did know was that I fucked up so bad and there was no way I could rectify what I’d done. At the same time, I was also suffering from the worse case of irony because it was at that moment when I realized that it was Baekhyun all along, that it was him who I really wanted to end up with for the rest of my life. That was actually the first time I fought for him but I hurt him so much that I couldn't stop him from leaving. He didn’t deserve that kind of torture and I didn’t deserve his heart— the one I had stupidly torn into pieces for a lot of times already.”

“I’m a lucky bastard for _still_ having him until now and I’ve been thanking the Gods for giving him back to me ever since then. He's even the one who made sense of your dad's existence in my life. That Sehun was never a mistake but a blessing and that I have to take good care of the only living proof of your grandmother's existence in this world. And that he's willing to help me raise him regardless of how much trash talk he'll experience from taking part on my own problem. Seriously— what could top that kind of acceptance and understanding? You don't get to meet that kind of person everyday and I really am fortunate to have someone like him in my life. Baekhyun’s like a pin in a haystack— someone really hard to find, definitely one of the rarest gems of this world. The world doesn't deserve him. I don't even deserve to have him. And I am forever indebted to the Gods for blessing me with him.”

“But now that we’re talking about this—“ Chanyeol paused, rationalizing more about what he just realized. “... that was really coward of me to ran away every time I was face-to-face with love. It’s just that there’s this sudden feeling that I wouldn’t be able to do my part, you know— to take proper responsibility of someone’s well being as well as their heart. So instead of taking the challenge, I took the more complicated path, drowning myself with the different sizes and shapes of love. I became greedy of wanting to have everything I could get at the slightest attraction but would eventually step out the moment I found someone better. I never hesitated to let go of the most wonderful people for ‘the other fishes in the ocean’ because I was afraid of what they’d find once I finally bear my soul to them.”

“But isn’t that what relationship’s supposed to be? To unhesitatingly reveal your vulnerabilities to someone whom you had chosen to love?”

Chanyeol smiled widely at the question. It seemed like his grandson knew more about their topic than what he had expected.

“Yes—“ He said, pulling his fishing rod to check if anything took the bait. “But not all people are brave enough to do that, Jongin-ah. I did mention that a while ago, right? I was a coward who cared more about my selfish reasons than acting more on my emotions. I was afraid of being condemned, of looking like a fool in front of these people. I’m a people-pleaser which is why it took a long while for me to man up, stop the stupid habit, and begin to practice altruism.”

“Altruism? That’s a big word, gramps.” Jongin grinned at his choice of word. “So gramps Baek was the game changer then?”

The question made the elder laugh so much that his elation brought tears to his eyes.

“Well, if you see it like that, then yes. Your gramps Baek is the one who ended my idiotic beliefs against relationships and made me believe that true love _does_ exists.”

The elder’s words rung inside Jongin’s mind and it made him smile. His heartache was gradually fading as the hope began to rise up on his chest. He’s beginning to believe that everything’s going to be alright and that he just needed to give time and let love work its way on him and Kyungsoo, just like how it happened to his grandparents.

“What’s with that creepy smile, boy?” The smile immediately vanished and was replaced with a scowl.

“I was told that all the Parks have that same smile so if mine’s creepy, then yours is too, gramps!”

Both men once again laughed that their small boat shook along with it. The action made the younger froze but Chanyeol didn’t stop laughing.

“Gramps— let’s go back.”

The elder only shook his head, defiant.

“Please? Can we go back? I— I’m not feeling—“

Then it happened so fast, the elder could only watch his grandson Jongin retching his guts out as the nearby fishes immediately crowded his vomit. It was so hilarious that Chanyeol, rather than comforting the ill-stomached man, didn’t stop laughing, making the boat notoriously sway left and right.

“Alright, alright.” The old man said, still recovering from his laughing workout and Jongin unhesitatingly glared at him. He couldn’t help it even though he was raised as a polite young man. He had never been disrespectful to his elders but as of this moment, his stomach was all that mattered to him.

“Come on, let’s get you home.”

 

**> >.<<**

 

The scent of freshly baked blueberry muffins assaulted their noses the moment they stepped inside the villa.

“Smells delicious in here,” Chanyeol said, watching his busy husband walking to and fro the kitchen. Baekhyun was currently preoccupied with the oven, making sure that the appliance wasn’t burning his muffins. The smell was heavenly that even the brooding Jongin cracked up a smile on it.

Baekhyun finally acknowledged the newcomers, immediately offering the two men a smile that turned his now wrinkled eyes into half moons.

“So how was the fishing trip? Did Jongin-ah keep his promise of not puking into the river?”

Chanyeol slowly walked toward his husband and whispered something to him. Whatever that was, it elicited a small smile onto his lips. Baekhyun later on gathered Jongin into his arms and cradled his pale cheeks to assess his state.

“Are you feeling better now, Jongin-ah?”

The younger leaned onto his grandfather’s touch and closed his eyes to calm his labored breathing. Giving off a weary smile, he kissed his grandfather’s wrinkled hand and held them onto his own.

“I am, gramps, but do you mind if I go up to my room and freshen up? The humid weather kind of made me feel sticky.”

Baekhyun nodded and gave off an encouraging smile. Jongin smiled weakly and walked towards the stairs, ascending carefully so as not to aggravate his dizziness. When the coast was clear, Baekhyun turned his attention back to his husband who was now scrutinizing his face.

“Why are you looking at me like that, Yeol?”

“Like what, Baek?”

“Like I’ve committed a crime?”

Chanyeol hummed, reaching for his husband’s hands. He remembered how he used to adore those beautiful fingers— slender, candle-like, and really too pretty for words. Now it looked like time had made the most out of it, had gotten it wrinkly, but still perfect for him to hold on to.

“I think it’s you who owes me an explanation, Baek. I have a feeling that Jongin already told you what the surprise visit was all about?”

Baekhyun could never lie to his husband so he nodded and gave him a sheepish smile that still managed to make the other’s heart swell with affection.

“What else can make a man drag himself away from his beloved city where his life was built upon?”

Baekhyun’s smile was slowly fading and that made the taller elder confirmed his assumptions. _Heart problems._ That could only be the reason why a person would need a temporary escape.

 

An hour later, Jongin found himself watching his grandparents setting up the table for three. He could smell what’s for dinner tonight; his gramps Yeol managed to catch three enormous sea basses after guiding him back to his truck. They had been baked to its finest, making the younger’s stomach growl in anticipation. And as Baekhyun carefully placed the cuisine onto the table, Jongin immediately sat beside him, helping himself with it as he took the largest portion on his plate. He hummed in approval on how good it melted inside his mouth.

Baekhyun could only smile at his grandson’s reaction, encouraging him to eat some more. At the same time, he eagerly talked about how the freshness of the fish contributed more to its flavor and of how many vitamins and minerals a person could get from eating them.

“... It’s a good source of iodine and it’s really good for you, you know. You should be adding fish to your diet, Jongin-ah.” Baekhyun emphasized by putting more of the food on his plate. “Have some more of it, Yeol. You, _of all people,_ needs fish the most.”

Chanyeol isn’t one to fancy eating sea creatures. He’s more of a meat man and a chocolate-lover the most. But Baekhyun is one superb cook and he never fails to make the taller drool over his cooking.

“You don’t need to invite me, Baek. You know that I won’t hesitate to dig in anything that you’ve prepared.”

“Good then. Finish your food or I’ll get offended.”

The men chuckled at the demand but proceeded to fill their stomachs to the fullest. Their conversation switched from one topic to another but it was light and comforting that Jongin temporarily forgot about his heartbreak.

“So gramps—“ Jongin said, eyeing the taller elder with a bashful smile. “I’m just curious. How did you know that gramps Baek is the right one?”

“That’s a good question, Jongin-ah.” Baekhyun grinned widely and poked his husband's nearest arm. “So how did you know, Yeol— that I’m the right one?”

Chanyeol was actually expecting Baekhyun’s teasing but he would endure the torture for he loved indulging the love of his life.

“There is no right or wrong person, Jongin-ah. You just learn to love the person you found.”

“Why do I feel insulted with your answer, Yeol?”

“Don’t be. Both of us know that it’s true, Baek.” Chanyeol chose to smile sweetly to appease the frowning elder.

“The right one is your own choosing, Jongin-ah.” The elder said, looking at the man seriously. “You pick them out not because they’re perfect but because they made you realize your worth. I’m not saying that your gramps here isn’t perfect though. He actually is. He’s the other half that completes me.” A smug smile was slowly materializing on Baekhyun’s face, his laugh line now clearly visible.

“Remember when I told you about altruism a while ago? It was your gramps Baek who made me understand what the word is.” Taking an ample amount of the food to his mouth, he continued, “When your grandmother died, Baekhyun’s the _only_ one who was patient enough to wait for my grief to subside. He had been there ever since the beginning and had never once failed to make me feel that I’m not alone in this world. He never took my flaws against me but rather love me all the more because of it. It was his _selfless_ love that made me realize that I’ve finally found the one I’ve been praying for and I had been so stupid to let my insecurities get into me.”

“They say that the heart that’s meant to love you will fight for you when you want to give up, pick you up when you’re feeling down, and will give their smile when it’s hard for you to find yours. Baekhyun’s heart is the epitome of that. He never got strength from seeing me weak, power from seeing me hurt, or joy from seeing me cry. His heart always wants the best for me to a point where he’s willing to give up his happiness just to see me smile.”

“Baekhyun is my very own definition of the right one and no matter how many people the universe throws at me, I will always choose him because it’s him who I decided to spend the rest of my life with.” Chanyeol leaned closer to kiss his husband’s cheek and Jongin smiled at the gesture.

“Did he answer your question, Jongin-ah? Or did he manage to nauseate you with his cheesiness?”

Jongin laughed at the teasing but he nodded eagerly so as not to offend his gramps Yeol.

“It’s cheesy alright but he’s definitely convincing.”

“Hey, that’s rude. How can you say that when I’m not even trying to convince you? I wholeheartedly answered your question, _you brat._ ”

“I’m sorry, gramps. I’m not good with words but what I meant though was yes— you definitely did.”

Chanyeol smiled softly at the remark. He’s happy to see the light back in Jongin’s eyes. And as he took a glance at his husband, he found him having the same reaction as Jongin. Baekhyun was grinning blissfully, a gesture that always made his worries dissolve into thin air. Chanyeol had a feeling that the young man’s now ready to nurse his battered heart—with a little more understanding this time.

 

“I know that I will get smacked in the head by asking about this but I was still a kid when you were telling me and Minnie about this story so please don’t get mad, gramps Baek—“

With a mouthful of fish, Jongin unhesitatingly laughed as the bits and pieces of his food flew out of his mouth. And despite of his request of not getting whacked, Baekhyun still did for it was rude to talk, _more so to laugh_ , especially when your mouth is full.

 _But damn Jongin and his youth for his fast reflexes._ It made a laughing stock out of Baekhyun. Chanyeol and Jongin kept laughing at his doltish attempts. Jongin smiled apologetically and affixed his attention toward the angry elder who, in turn, didn’t hesitate to glare at him. He offered his most beautiful smile and Baekhyun couldn’t be more charmed.

“So— How did you and gramps Yeol meet?”

Chanyeol grinned; his eyes were twitching in delight. He’s wearing one of his charms now— that same breathtaking smile that made Baekhyun’s heart beat twice as much.

“Ohh— I sure want to hear that one—“ Chanyeol tried to hide his excitement but failed at doing so. “How I wish that the question was for me— but that’s a good choice actually because your gramps Baek here is a _better_ storyteller than me.”

Grinning mischievously, Chanyeol was now staring at the now getting annoyed Baekhyun. “Plus it’s even _nicer_ to hear it from him. Just keep your eyes on his face while he does the storytelling, will you?”

This time, Baekhyun slapped the old man in front of him as his cheeks emitted beautiful red hues. Chanyeol was now laughing maniacally along with the younger Park. _Damn all these Park boys for ganging up on him_. Baekhyun could only thank Sehun’s absence because Chanyeol’s junior would most likely add up to his misery.

“Alright then.” He decided to play along with their teasing. “You better pay attention now, Park Jongin, for I’m never going to re-tell this to you once more.”

 

 

_"Drinks for Yeol at the bar."_

_Baekhyun was starting to get pissed for it was the 5th time already when he began calling out the said customer's name. Sighing audibly, he left the pick up station and sauntered toward the espresso machine to make a new order._

_"This is so annoying! I swear, whoever this ‘Yeol’ person is, seriously has something against me! He kept torturing me every single time I am behind this freaking counter. He makes me call him out for fuckload of times whenever I'm on duty. And not only that— look at how spine crippling his drink is! I won't be surprised if his insulin level shoots up and whacks his pancreas out. This frappe's a fucking diabetes-inducing shit! Where the hell's he cooping up, anyway? It's been twenty minutes already since I started yelling out his name, for god's sake..."_

_"What's the exact order again, Baekhyunnie?" His co-worker, Yixing asked, an amused smile bloomed onto his lips._

_"White Chocolate Mocha with an extra shot of caramel. Man. What a sweet tooth. WCM's sweet enough already to add up a caramel shot." Baekhyun paced toward the medium-sized concoction and held it out for his friend to see. The latter only laughed at his displeasure._

_"I guess the man's pancreas is as strong as a bull, Baek. It's pretty impressive how tolerant he is with sugary stuff." Chuckling, Yixing strolled onto his friend’s spot. "But if you want to know who the saccharine lover is, he’s that man over there_ — _"_

_Baekhyun followed where his friend was pointing at and lo and behold, his irritant_ — _The ‘Yeol’ customer. He was outside the shop, dressed in a red and black-checkered long sleeves which was a little too big for his slender body but nonetheless looked really good on him. His pants were black, tight fitting, and were flattering his very long legs. A pair of vans oldskool was sheltering his feet— just the perfect match for his whole outfit._

_But what caught Baekhyun’s attention the most was the customer’s hair color. It was platinum blonde and it looked absolutely perfect on him. It was still elaborately coiffed despite of how breezy it was outside._

_Maybe he should take the stupid drink to the man’s table so that he could see more of his fa—_ No. _Byun Baekhyun would never do something as pathetic as that. The customer may have been interesting but that didn't mean he’d do something about it. He’s not stupid. He wouldn't do something that he may end up regretting in the future._

‘So that's why the bastard didn't hear the numerous times I was calling out his name,’ _Baekhyun thought to himself._

_The customer, being outside, began to make sense when Baekhyun saw a toy poodle sitting on the boy's lap. Baekhyun internally cringe at how odd the pair was because the dog didn't really compliment its owner. But the sight was so adorable because of the way the Yeol guy was gently stroking the furball’s head. It seemed to enjoy the kind gesture and the enthusiastic tail wagging was a confirmation to that._

_"How about you deliver his drink and give him a piece of your mind, Baek?" The suggestion immediately rooted the barista on the spot. "Go on. Someone has to tell him of his irritating behavior—" His co-worker nudged him and slightly pushed him toward the exit of the bar._

_"N-no w-way.” Baekhyun stammered and Yixing raised a brow at his reaction. “I-I’m not going out there to bring him his drink. If he wants it, then—“_

_"Oh hi there!”_

_Said boy was now waving his right hand enthusiastically, immediately catching the attention of the barista who was at the moment, lost in space._

_“I'm sorry for interrupting but is this my drink?"_

_Baekhyun couldn't help but to ogle at the guy in front of him. The Yeol guy was definitely the most handsome man he had ever seen. His eyes were slightly bigger than his, had the deepest shade of brown, and definitely the most expressive amongst all he'd ever gazed at. His brows were perfectly groomed and definitely perfect for his manly features and his jaw was chiseled to perfection. Baekhyun thought that_ he _was a sight to behold._

_If Baekhyun were to choose a favorite among the tall boy's features, it would be his lips. It was rosy and plump, absolutely right for his thin ones. Baekhyun believed that those lips were one of the man’s charms, a temptation that was compelling him to ravish and devour._ _But the man’s deep voice was a plus too. It triggered an internal chaos in him, firing up a bundle of brain neurons left and right. The tone was smooth, unexpectedly calming and addicting but in a healthy way. It was definitely music to Baekhyun’s ears._

_All of a sudden, several emotions began to overlap inside him. His mind became hyped, inducing a handful of reactions throughout his body. For the first time in the longest time, Baekhyun felt excited and scared— scared that the emotions might overtook him. Baekhyun knew what_ that _feeling was because it wasn’t new to him anymore. He had felt it before but it wasn’t as strong as this one._

_Just as he was about to reply at the man’s inquiry, his big mouth took over and sabotaged his ‘potential’ happy ending._

_"Y-yes._ I-I’m _— I mean, it’s yours."_

_Baekhyun wanted to punch his face so hard just to keep his stupid mouth shut. He couldn't believe that he had said something as humiliating as that. He prayed that Yixing would save him from this awkward situation but the other just grinned smugly at him, secretly enjoying at how adorable a stuttering and blushing Baekhyun was. And while the barista was stuck still over his embarrassment, he heard a deep chuckle from the other side of the bar, immediately infiltrating his tranced state._

_"But I was still planning to woo you…” The boy frowned but eventually gave off a breathtaking smile. “But now that it’s out of the way, let me first tell you that you're really pretty..." Taking a glance at his nameplate, the man smirked mischievously as he said,_ **_"... Baek."_**

_"How come Yixing didn't tell me about you when I was always here to pester the shit out of him? I wonder why he's hiding a pretty guy like you from me?"_

_Baekhyun blushed ten fold while the other only chortled at his reaction._

_"Hey, Park. Quit flirting with Baekhyunnie, will you? You're making him uncomfortable..." Yixing playfully scolded his blonde friend. "And stop pretending to be oblivious about his existence when you've been intentionally making him call out your name for at least 6 times a day just so you would claim your sweet as fuck drink..."_

_"Well, what can I say? I just love hearing his voice..." The boy's smile was teasing but he still looked as innocent as ever. "I'm so sorry. I don't want to appear creepy but I really like the way you say my name. It was like you were meant to say it."_

_While the platinum-haired wiggled his eyebrows at him, Baekhyun’s face paled at the other's blunt come back. It made the beat of his heart so palpable to a point that it made him feel dizzy. Fortunately, his co-worker saw his uneasiness and decided to stop his friend’s harassment._

_"Will you stop it, Park? Just get your drink and piss off..."_

_"But I meant what I said, Yixing. I really like the way he says my name." The boy pouted, more adorable this time and Baekhyun was in no position to avoid being drawn into it._

_Yixing could only sigh at his friend’s flirtatious moves. He and Chanyeol had been best friends ever since his family decided to settle in Seoul. They met in middle school and they’ve been stuck at the hip since then. Growing up together, Yixing knew of his friend’s boldness. It was one of the man’s annoying habits. But apparently, Yixing had gotten tolerant over his bluntness that it became easy for him to ignore Chanyeol’s ill mannerisms._

_Yixing could never understand his friend’s theory— of how it was the best way to annoy the shit out of people to earn their attention. And Yixing was worried that Park Chanyeol’s weird ministrations may unfortunately cost a misunderstanding with Baekhyun. His co-worker might not be that sympathetic toward his best friend._

_"Come on, Yixing! Stop spacing out and introduce me to him—“ The boy said, his eyes were shining with excitement but this best friend only groaned in return._

_"Park Chanyeol, this is Byun Baekhyun— the prettiest barista you’ll_ never _get to have.” The tall boy scowled as his friend slung an arm around his co-worker's shoulders. "Baekhyun, meet Chanyeol— the most annoying piece of crap you've had the misfortune to meet."_

_Chanyeol immediately glared at his friend but eventually focused his attention onto the shy barista who was awkwardly standing opposite of him. Baekhyun’s cheeks were tinged with a beautiful shade of pink._

_"A pleasure to meet you, Baekhyun-ah. My name's Chanyeol but please call me_ Yeol— _because I really like the way you say my name."_

 

 

“And as soon as our hands met, I felt a jolt cruising through my body.” Chanyeol said, smiling widely at his small audience. “And from that day on— I came to realize that ‘Love’ is a four-letter word and so is _Baek.”_

“Wow. That’s so— cheesy.” Baekhyun’s face was torn between gross and embarrassment but the other didn’t seem to mind his reaction.

“Well, what can I say? You make me a poet, Baek.” The elder’s smile was still on, causing the other’s face to heat up.

“I guess some things will never change—“

 

That night, Jongin had never felt better. His heart was calm and so was his mind. Everything seemed to have made sense now and as much as the break up still made him sad, Jongin knew that time would heal his wounds. He believed in Kyungsoo. He believed that the man wouldn’t just give up on their love just like that. He may have appeared to be weak at that time but Jongin knew that Kyungsoo was anything but. They only needed time. He’d have to let love work its magic on them, just like how it did to his grandparents. Jongin believed that everything would be okay because this time, he was _decided_. It had always been Kyungsoo for him and he would do anything to make sure that he'd end up spending the rest of his life with him.

He was about to put on his borrowed pajamas when a notification from his phone cut through the silence of the room.

 

**From: Do Kyungsoo**

_I was wrong, Jongin-ah. Please come home. Let's fix this._


End file.
